‘When I Grow Up’ winners share in nearly $20,000

CHARLESTON – The West Virginia State Treasurer’s Office and SMART529 celebrated 10 years of the SMART529 “When I Grow Up” essay contest for elementary school students with an award ceremony recently at the West Virginia State Culture Center. State Treasurer John Perdue recognized 15 West Virginia students for their essays detailing what they want to be when they grow up. Local winners included Syrah George, a third grade student at Tomahawk Intermediate, who wants to be a dance teacher; and Jamila Fleet, a homeschooled fifth grader, of Berkeley County, who wants to be a business owner.

The regional winners were selected from more than 3,000 entries. Each winner received $500 invested into a SMART529 WV Direct account. An additional $4,500 was awarded to Madalyn Brown of Berlin McKinney Elementary in Wyoming County, after being selected as the grand prize winner during a random drawing at the event. Each winning student’s school was also recognized and awarded a $500 cash prize to support school programs.

“I want you all to be successful,” Perdue told the winners. “The best way to guarantee success is by continuing your education after high school.”

The contest gives kindergarten through fifth grade students a chance to share in nearly $20,000 in SMART529 savings for higher education. Essays from three age groups (grades K-1, 2-3, and 4-5) were judged in each of the five regions, for a total of 15 winners.

“We are thrilled to partner with Treasurer Perdue to promoting college savings in West Virginia,” said Hartford Funds Senior Vice President Jeff Coghan. “After 10 years, we are now seeing some of the first recipients of this award use their winnings to help further their education.”

In addition to the student winners, Rock Branch Elementary School second grade teacher, Lori Perry, was awarded $2,500 cash for her essay about how she planned to educate children about going to college and saving with the SMART529 program.

“We rely on teachers to emphasize the importance of saving for higher education. I am thrilled to we are able to reward one of them for making a special effort to encourage students to think beyond high school,” said Perdue.

The “When I Grow Up” student and teacher essay contests are sponsored by the SMART529 College Savings Program, The Hartford and the West Virginia State Treasurer’s Office to promote awareness of SMART529 and the need for high education savings.

Information about this year’s essay contests were made available through www.SMART529.com, on Facebook, in SMART529’s school newsletter, and through direct mail publications.

SMART529 is a qualified tuition program issued by the West Virginia Prepaid College Tuition and Savings Program Board of Trustees and administered by Hartford Funds. Complete information about the SMART529 program contest, including the 2017 “When I Grow Up” essay contest, is available at www.SMART529.com.